7/18/2012

Shotgun Fun

Unlike pistols, which I spent a lot of time exploring on my own, shotguns, were something, on which I felt, I should be instructed. I don't have a shotgun, and while my range rents a number of options, I felt it more appropriate to take on this long gun in it's natural habitat, outdoors. Many shotgun wielding friends were willing join me, but since the nearest outdoor range is more than 1.5 hours away, finding time proved difficult. Eventually, I opted to wait for the Girls Gun Getaway.

Boy am I glad I waited and got my first shotgun lesson from Packing Pretty in the flesh!

The reason for my outdoor preference?
The bang of a shot gun tends to be larger than most other rifles and this will be more intense in an indoor environment. Also, my range allows shotguns to be used, only when they are being used with "slugs" but "buckshot" is forbidden. The reason behind this is simple. Shotgun shells are usually filled with small beads of lead, called "buckshot", but at my range buckshot is prohibited because the tiny lead balls can bounce back at the firing line.

While a group headed out on a squirrel hunt, Packing Pretty's Gracie McKee and I headed to our hosts' backyard range.(I know, I'm jealous too!) I had been told that the recoil was something to fear, but Gracie instructed me on proper procedures to minimize this issue. We began with a 12 gauge, the most common size shell for a shotgun. Pressing the stock firmly into my shoulder I dry fired and thought, "ok, I get the idea". Then I inserted a shell and attempted to pump the gun. Something got stuck half way through the motion. Gracie got me unstuck and I tried again. Loaded, pumped, the shell fell from the bottom of the gun. What I learned from this embarrassing moment? Pumping a shot gun is a lesson in multitasking. While one hand pumps, the other presses a button through half the motion and releases the button through the other half. If you press the button all the way through the pump movement, you will lose you shells.

To be honest, my first trigger pull on the shotgun was after the gun was fully prepped and handed to me ready to fire. My shot was high, though some of the pattern hit the target. This is the beauty of a shotgun loaded with buckshot, accuracy is not key.

My second attempt at a 12ga was a much smoother experience

Next I picked up the turkey gun, seen in the photo, with an Eotek green dot sight. The recoil was manageable, my accuracy was acceptable, moving the action was successful and I was happy to have learned about a new type of gun.

Note: While accuracy is not of the utmost importance when shooting a buckshot, the iron sights on a shot gun are very different from a pistol and take some getting used to. With a hologram sight installed, it virtually impossible to miss.

Also Note: We realized later that the first gun I tried, was not feeding properly and may have needed a new spring.

The following day some of the ladies decided to do a little skeet shooting. Those of us who have never competed or hunted realize that tracking* is a skill we are lacking. (I recommend finding a way to try tracking a target as it may come in handy when protecting yourself. After all, what is the likely hood that an attacker will face you straight on, in broad daylight, at 5-10yards and stand still while you adjust your grip, stance and so on.) For skeet shooting we once aging used buckshot but I was given a 20 gauge shotgun (slightly smaller than 12 gauge) in an over-under configuration (rather than a pump action). Unlike the guns from the previous day, this gun had no magazine tube. Pull the trigger once, BANG, then again, BANG, then crack open the action and the empties pop out so two new shells can be loaded. I probably watched 10-15 clays fly through the air and hit the ground safe from my muzzle, but somewhere in there, I hit one. I'm very proud of that solitary hit, can you tell?

This woman shoots rifles in many competitions around the world, can you tell?Photo By Julie Golob

Thanks to Winchester Ammunition, I was able to try both 20 and 12 gauge loads, and between them, I definitely preferred the latter. With good form and practice, anyone should be able to handle the recoil of a shotgun. One surprise I found after shooting shotguns as well as rifles: it was not my right shoulder that got sore, but my left. With only minimal muscle tone and even less strength in my left arm than my right, holding the weight of an AR or a shot gun for any length of time, is difficult. Check out the guns on Anette who shoots long-guns in competition. She brought her AR on the Girls Gun Getaway and after shooting it, I assure you, it was the heaviest gun brought for the weekend. (other than the 50 cal)

Thinking of a shotgun for home protection? As always, you can count on me to give you both sides of any argument...

Many people will make this recommendation and I can see the benefits:
Shotguns tend to be recommended for home defense because, in an emergency situation, when tensions are high, your accuracy my be lacking, but loaded up with buckshot, you won't have to be as steady. Also, I have heard from a number of people, who keep a shotgun next to their beds, that they choose to keep the gun loaded but without a chambered round. Why? The sound of pumping a shotgun is iconic. The likelihood of an intruder hearing it, and not taking off in the opposite direction, are slim. Lastly, consider a collapsable stock, rather than wood, when choosing a shotgun. The former can absorb as much as 60% of the recoil.

However, allow me to point out a big concern for me, that may also be a concern for you: With buckshot, it is very likely that you will hit your intended target as long as the gun is pointed in the target's general direction, but what sort of damage will the rest of your house sustain? I have a dog and cat whom I love dearly, if intruder were entering my house and my pets didn't run and hide I would want the best weapon for stopping the bad guy that offered the least risk of hitting one of my beloved pets in the process. Of corse, if the choice were between the life of a pet or a human, the decision is obvious, but at this point in my life, risking my pets' lives for more fire power, is not my preference.